1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an air bag apparatus, which is disposed in an instrument panel in front of a front passenger's seat of an automobile, in a side door, in a steering wheel, or the like, with the air bag inflating upon the occurrence of a predetermined event.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an air bag apparatus for a front passenger's seat of a vehicle, a cover for covering an air bag is disposed at an opening formed in an instrument panel (hereinafter "panel"), using a hinge or breakaway means which is broken upon the occurrence of a predetermined event so that the cover opens, as disclosed in a Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 111353/1988.
However, this configuration where a cover is attached to a panel through a hinge or breakaway means increases the number of components of such an air bag apparatus, whereby the assembly process is prolonged.
Furthermore, since a hinge or breakaway means is used to attach a separate cover to a panel, any errors in dimensional accuracy of each component or in assembly accuracy may result in an ugly appearance at the interface between the cover and the panel.